Vaccines expressed in plants

Abstract

The anti-viral vaccine of the present invention is produced in transgenic plants and then administered through standard vaccine introduction method or through the consumption of the edible portion of those plants. A DNA sequence encoding for the expression of a surface antigen of a viral pathogen is isolated and ligated to a promoter which can regulate the production of the surface antigen in a transgenic plant. This gene is then transferred to plant cells using a procedure that results in its integration into the plant genome, such as through the use of an Agrobacterium tumefaciens plasmid vector system. Preferably, the foreign gene is expressed in a portion of the plant that is edible by humans or animals. In a preferred procedure, the vaccine is administered through the consumption of the edible plant as food, preferably in the form of a fruit or vegetable juice which can be taken orally.

We claim: 
     
       1. A transgenic plant expressing a nucleotide sequence which encodes a recombinant viral antigenic protein, said recombinant protein derived from Transmissible Gastroenteritis virus. 
     
     
       2. The plant of claim 1 wherein said protein is chimeric. 
     
     
       3. The plant of claim 1 wherein said plant is a potato plant. 
     
     
       4. A plasmid vector for transforming a plant comprising: a DNA sequence encoding a recombinant viral antigenic protein, said recombinant protein derived from Transmissible Gastroenteritis Virus; and   a plant-functional promoter operably linked to said DNA sequence capable of directing the expression of said DNA sequence in said plant.   
     
     
       5. The plasmid vector of claim 4 wherein said plant promoter comprises CaMV35S. 
     
     
       6. The plasmid vector of claim 4 wherein said plant promoter comprises patatin promoter. 
     
     
       7. The plasmid vector of claim 4 wherein said protein is chimeric. 
     
     
       8. A method for constructing a transgenic plant cell comprising: constructing a DNA vector by operably linking a DNA sequence encoding a recombinant viral antigenic protein, said recombinant protein derived from Transmissible Gastroenteritis virus to a plant-functional promoter capable of directing the expression of said DNA sequence in said plant; and   transforming a plant cell with said DNA vector.   
     
     
       9. A method for producing a pharmaceutical vaccine composition, wherein the pharmaceutical vaccine composition consists of a recombinant viral antigenic protein, comprising the steps of: constructing a DNA vector by operably linking a DNA sequence encoding said recombinant viral antigenic protein, said recombinant protein derived from Transmissible Gastroenteritis virus, to a plant-functional promoter capable of directing the expression of said DNA sequence in a plant;   transforming a plant with said DNA vector; and   recovering said pharmaceutical vaccine composition expressed in said plant.   
     
     
       10. The method of claim 9 wherein said plant is a tomato plant. 
     
     
       11. The method of claim 9 wherein said plant is a potato plant. 
     
     
       12. A vaccine composition comprising: a recombinant viral antigenic protein, said protein produced in a plant and derived from Transmissible Gastroenteritis virus;   and plant material, wherein said vaccine composition is capable of eliciting an immune response upon administration to an animal.